The Office
by Rider 87
Summary: John's office has been untouched since his death, now the time has arrived to unlock the doors.


_Disclaimer__: If I was this brilliant, you'd own a book with my name on it._

_**IMPORTANT A/N**__**: This story is related to And Then There Were Two. Stories can be read separately, but make more sense when read together.**_

_Summary__: John's office has been untouched since his death, now the time has arrived to unlock the doors._

**The Office**

Ian Rider was sitting in an office on the seventeenth floor of a building near Waterloo station. The building was said to house the Royal and General Bank and those who knew Ian, knew him as a banker, an adrenalin junkie banker with a knack for attracting accidents, but a banker non the less. However, a select group of people knew better. The Royal and General was no bank at all, but a cover for MI6 special operations, that were really occupying the building. It was a given fact then that Ian Rider was no banker, but a spy and his accidents were no accidents at all, but consequences of his missions.

He hadn't actually seen the inside of the building since he had stormed out three months ago after his world had been turned upside down. To his surprise he hadn't heard from them in those past months as he settled into the new rhythm of his life. Until the phone rang last night, politely requesting if he could come in today. One does not say no to Alan Blunt, head of S.O. and thus Ian found himself facing the dull, grey man in Blunt's office.

'Thank you for coming in,' Blunt said. 'I hope Alex and his nanny have settled in.'

'They have,' Ian nodded, keeping the details of his personal life as sparse as possible.

'Good,' the other man replied. 'Now, we called you in for two reasons. First of all, we've given you enough time and would like for you to return to work.'

Ian sighed and nodded. He heard the unspoken words no matter how politely the request was phrased, either he'd come back to work or find life unnecessarily hard from now on. He had little choice and honestly, it surprised him a little how much time off they'd actually already allowed him. 'Just one request for that, could I be send on mainly short missions for a while? That way I can at least try to be home for the important stuff. And Maud announced she'll stay for another six months, but I'll have to find someone else to watch Alex then. If I haven't found the right person by then, I'll require desk duties until I do, possibly even some time off.

'Thank you for the advanced warning, we can of course help you with a new nanny,' Blunt replied.

'I'd rather manage it myself, but thank you for the offer.' Inwardly Ian smile, two can play the game off unspoken words. Blunt's eyes seemed to darken, but otherwise there was no reaction to Ian's hidden words.

'As for the mission request, I'll see what can be arranged without wasting your skills,' he finished. 'The second reason we called you in is that you finished sorting John's former possessions from the house. We've kept his office locked so you may sort that as well. We'd like to make use of the office again.'

Something about the request made Ian's stomach turn and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He could already see himself walking past the door of the office, or, heaven forbid, actually having to meet with the agent in there, not seeing John's name on the plaque or John's face switch from completely blank to a quick smile upon seeing him enter. Even the thought of the slightest change in furniture or decoration scared him more than he'd like to admit. There was a simple solution to the situation, but it was cheeky presumptuous and could possibly get him in trouble. However if he didn't suggest it, he'd certainly had to deal with a change he wasn't sure he even could deal with.

Blunt was waiting patiently for his answer when he pulled out of his thoughts, his mind made up. 'Or I could clear out my office and use John's from now on,' he suggested and waited with baited breath.

Silence fell over the office for what seemed like ages as Blunt mulled over the request of the young spy. When finally Ian expected the request to be denied, Blunt moved to open a drawer in his and fished out a key. 'I expect the keys to your old office to be handed in by four,' he said, handing over the key.

Ian repressed a smile and simply nodded in reply. After a few more details he was dismissed and went to his old office, making a detour past the office of Smithers to get a box so he could transfer his belongings in one go. Once he'd gathered everything, he went up to the fifteenth floor to his new office, '1504 John Rider". He knew before the end of the day it would bear his name. To anyone who hadn't truly known John, the office looked bland and just like any other office of any other random agent working for MI6. Ian had known John better than anyone else, save maybe Helen, and he saw all the little details that screamed John. For a single moment he felt as if John was with him in the room, flashing him that one proud smile he'd saved just for his little brother. The only other person Ian had ever seen receive that smile was Alex and in that moment he knew he'd made the right decision.

Over the next fourteen years only two changes were made to the office. The first were the necessary upgrades in technology that were only normal, the second was the one personal touch Ian ever gave the office which was adding the picture frame on his desk as an everyday reminder what he was doing his job for, making sure Alex would grow up safe and happy, his biggest concerns being; getting his homework done and winning his next football match.

When Alex broke in to the office after his uncle's death, he thought he was entering his uncle's office. He never knew that before that, his father had looked at the same paintings, sat at the same desk and opened the same drawers. He never knew that in that office, Ian Rider had kept his brother's memory alive, something that was too painful for him to do at home. Sadly enough, those were things he'd never know.

_**A/N**__: I know it's a short one, but it says everything it needs to say. I hope you enjoyed it. Please review._


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